Bibiara Bɛyɛ Fine, a youth group based in New Juaben South Municipal Assembly in Eastern Region, has organized a day-long orientation program for Pragia drivers in Koforidua.
The training aimed to educate young people engaged in Pragia business on road safety regulations, with the intention of reducing reckless driving and road accidents in New Juaben South Municipality.
Speaking at the workshop, in charge of Koforidua Divisional MTTD, Chief Inspector Alexander Nanfarm, revealed that many schoolchildren are opting for Pragia business, indicating that this has led to school dropout among teenagers in the Municipality.
Chief Inspector Nanfarm assured the general public that the Ghana Police Service will do its part to prevent school-going children from engaging in Pragia driving and return to the classroom to learn and become prominent persons in the future.
He then admonished parents to join this fight by going to their children’s schools once in a while to confirm that they have reported to school before embarking on their daily activities, and in doing so, there wouldn’t be any teenagers engaging in Pragia business in the area.
Baba Awudu, Cooperative Chairman of Pragia drivers in Koforidua, said that he didn’t entertain school-going children to work at his station because once they see money, they abandon school, forgetting that education plays a crucial role in their future.
He stated that Pragia owners are the cause of the high rate of schoolchildren dropping out of school because when they buy Pragia, they don’t check the background of the kids before giving it to them, and are pleading with the Ghana Police Service to arrest both teenagers and owners of Pragia and bring them to book to serve as a deterrent to others.
Founder and President of the BBF association, Emmanuel Asare, expressed his dissatisfaction about the situation, stating that they don’t use money to do any important thing for themselves but rather use it to buy drugs and drive carelessly, causing unnecessary road accidents in their area of operations.
He advised the youth of the country, especially those in Koforidua, to prioritize their education over anything else, indicating that one day they will need a certificate to secure an important job or position to better their lives in the future.
Eastern Regional Director of Youth Employment Authority (YEA), Evlyn Enyonam Lotsu, said any parent who values and knows the importance of education wouldn’t allow his or her ward to drop out of school and engage in Pragia business.
She stated emphatically that those parents should be blamed for the lackadaisical attitude of their wards.
“Ghana is enjoying Free Education from Kindergarten to Senior High School, including the ‘No Fees Stress’ policy for the first-year tertiary students, and parents should utilize this opportunity and ensure their children benefit from it,” she noted.
By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.
Source// Obohnewsonline.com.
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